Deculturation and Assimilation
by Inwitari Turelie
Summary: In the modern world England can feel himself fading away. America and France both notice he's acting out of character and want to help. Oneshot for now. No real pairings although slightly implied FrUK & USUK.


It started with little things, little slips when talking, such as saying movies not films. Some weeks it seemed worse, even his election hadn't seemed like his sometimes with it's TV debates although in the end it had become quintessentially British. Even if the Scottish had messed things up especially if the Scottish messed things up. But then Arthur could hardly feel his brother's people these days, even if officially he _was _the United Kingdom. Other weeks it seemed better. It was a strange creeping virus, often he struggled to feel his own youth (except for chavs, oddly enough he could usually feel the chavs), other times one of America's mannerism's would suddenly manifest itself in his actions. On his bad days he was constantly edgy on the look out for some new nation that would take his place, the one who was taking his people.

The other changes were of a similar but related sort. He _knew _of the loss of his laws to Brussels, he could feel the lack of power. He had almost fainted after the Lisbon Treaty had been passed. This perhaps through was to be expected, with how the EU was progressing. What worried England though were the days were he didn't fight back. The days he _agreed _with them. Apparently he'd just accepted to sell eggs by weight rather than by the dozen. A price piece of European idiocy, he didn't remember passing. He'd lost his old measures too, for all he gives his height in feet and measures his motorways in miles, everything else is officially at least metric. Some days he can't remember how much a pound or an ounce is.

Lost is the best way to describe how he feels. Some days when he looks in the mirror he think's his reflection is different his eyes seem less green, his hair neater. It's hard to tell after all day to day changes are minute. Haven't his eyes always been this colour? He looks for the same changes in his brother's but doesn't see them. Scotland seems as annoying as ever, constantly pointing out, how he is his own nation, Wales as quiet and yet accepting of his situation yet undeniably Welsh somehow, Northern Ireland seems to be regressing back to his bipolar days just when England thought he was growing up and he visits even his other brother who is no longer part of the kingdom only to find that he too, seems to suffer no more than who be expected in the recession. Try as hard as he can England can't remember if his brothers have always had greener eyes.

At first he tries to stay involved in meetings, his moods causing him to be even more antagonistic than normal. However things always seem to come up; can't disagree with that the EU backs it; America's ideas don't seem so far fetched. As he gets more paranoid about his changing appearance and personality he stopped contributing as much. He stays quiet and leaves the meetings as rapidly as possible. He may have fallen these days but he'll be damned before he lets the other nations see his state. England knows he's not the exactly the best loved of nations and he won't give them a chance to enjoy themselves at his expense. He has, he thinks an idea of what the problem is and on the days on which it's clear he's filled with horror. Still he'll solve it himself. He does ask the fae but even they seem changed, not fading yet but still different.

When he was stymied in his attempt to make his normal quick getaway after meetings, England was not really surprised. Least of all by the perpetrators. After all upsetting his life seemed to be America and France's forte. They couldn't even let him fade in peace. Besides they were partially responsible for this, of course they wanted to see the results. Resolutely keeping his head down, he waited to hear whatever it was they were so eager to say.

"Mon cher, we cannot let you go until you explain you're odd behaviour"

"Yeah, you keep disappearing like um, ca…my brother and you're not him so it's not ok for you to do it. These days I saw see him more than you which considering Matt disappears half the time is actually quite impressive. I mean sometimes it's like I almost forget there is an England. You know, I always thought I'd enjoy it if you stopped disagreeing with my plans but it's weird; I kinda miss it really. I think maybe I did need you to push some sense in. Now it's like the England I know dosen't exist, the argumentative grumpy old man and former brother is just gone. I even asked Tony if he knew anything, cause its just like what aliens would do but he said he didn't."

At this France butted in.

"Until that last point _Amerique _was actually right. There's something wrong with you _mon petit lapin; _you have lost yourself, your personality. It's just not normal; for nearly all our lives, there's been the other, we're France and England the two always arguing almost neighbours, not just France the impeccably suave nation. It might not be obvious but I care about you _Angleterre. _Our relationship is somewhat unconventional but that doesn't mean it's not there. Besides it's no fun seducing you like this. But no, really you're worrying me. Even some of the other EU countries are noticing it now."

England seethed at their audacity. They had the nerve to pretend to be worried?

He looked up at the other two nations. His eyes meet theirs. There, they could see the results. Whatever had happened before he was pretty sure he hadn't had _blue _eyes.

"England, what? What happened?"

"_Angleterre, _why, why are you're eyes blue?"

Clearly they thought the same given their responses. In some black way this almost cheered him up. It was nice to have his beliefs vindicated. He had been sure his eyes weren't blue before. He just couldn't remember what colour they were before. He smiled which seemed to freak the other two nations out more.

"Isn't it obvious? But then you two always were idiot's weren't you? I have blue eyes because you have blue eyes. I thought you knew what you were doing, but that you were dense enough to do it unconsciously makes it even worse. You see, the reason I'm not like the England you know is because I'm losing my identity. Your EU is at fault France. Well your's and Germany's. Maybe Belgium's too actually. Well you all have blue eyes. You see it's making me lose my status as a nation, it's only got worse since Lisbon was passed. We're becoming like America's states. But you don't see it do you? And most of you are alright because after all we're nations not countries and you all have your own culture, your own language, your own way of life. I don't. Even my brother's have enough culture of their own to have survived all this time, unlike me. Which is the other git's fault. Yes, you America don't look so surprised. My language is becoming Americanised, my TV is full of your shows, my young people idolise your pop stars. Yes, we have British actors but they all cross the pond and get absorbed into your culture. What is there really to differentiate me from you? If I don't follow Europe politically I copy you. Your lapdog they call me. So there's a choice before me as I see it."

He paused

"Do I become America in Europe or European America?"

And with that he turned and left leaving two shell-shocked nations behind.

_A/N: Here you go EarlyLearningCentre. Now I deserve something back. _

_Anyway this is a rather angsty which does actually show some of the British fears, and it's tsundere stance on the EU. Unfortunately it has dialogue. I hate writing dialogue but hopefully it came out ok. Plus, France, especially concerned!France is difficult to write. I'm thinking of doing a sequel but I'm not sure so let me know what you think, any other questions about it let me know too._


End file.
